STILLWATER, Okla. (Interstat) — Drew Mestemaker threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 109 yards and another score, and Oklahoma State held off Oregon 39-31 on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in a Football Bowl Subdivision game at Boone Pickens Stadium. A crowd of 51,035 watched the Cowboys even their record at 1-1 and hand the Ducks their first loss. Oregon also moved to 1-1. The visiting Ducks rallied in the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma State answered with the final nine points to secure the home victory.

Oklahoma State opened scoring with Sam Keltner’s 20-yard field goal at 10:51 of the first quarter. Oregon responded with a defensive score when Devon Jackson intercepted Mestemaker at the Oregon 4-yard line and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown. Gage Hurych’s extra point gave the Ducks a 7-3 lead. The Cowboys regained momentum in the second quarter. Mestemaker found Carson Kolb for a 1-yard touchdown, and Caleb Hawkins broke free for a 5-yard scoring run to push Oklahoma State ahead. Oregon answered with J. Davison’s 1-yard touchdown run, but Mestemaker connected with Wyatt Young on a 52-yard touchdown pass. Hurych added a 42-yard field goal just before halftime, trimming Oklahoma State’s lead to 24-17.

The third quarter turned into a field-position and kicking battle. Keltner made a 24-yard field goal early in the period, extending the Cowboys’ lead. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore answered with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Dakorien Moore, bringing the Ducks within three. Keltner added a 44-yard field goal late in the quarter, and Oklahoma State carried a 30-24 advantage into the fourth.

Oregon struck quickly in the fourth. Moore hit Evan Stewart for a 38-yard touchdown on the first play of the quarter, and Hurych’s kick put Oregon ahead 31-30. The lead did not last. Mestemaker capped an Oklahoma State drive with a 10-yard touchdown run with 10:21 remaining. Caleb Hawkins was stopped on the two-point attempt, leaving the Cowboys ahead 36-31. Keltner sealed the game with a 31-yard field goal at the 3:11 mark. The Oregon offense could not produce another answer.

Mestemaker was the central figure for Oklahoma State. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound quarterback from Austin, Texas, completed 26 of 43 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns. He also carried six times for 109 yards and a touchdown, repeatedly extending drives with his legs. His 52-yard strike to Young was one of the game’s biggest plays, and his fourth-quarter touchdown run provided the winning margin before Keltner’s final kick. Although Oregon intercepted him on a pivotal first-half play, Mestemaker finished with more than 400 yards of total offense and kept the Cowboys composed after the Ducks took a late lead.

Oklahoma State’s supporting cast delivered balance. Hawkins rushed 23 times for 110 yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions. Young caught five passes for 121 yards and a score. Justin Bowick added five receptions for 81 yards, Chris Barnes had two catches for 51 yards, and Terrence Lewis caught five passes for 37 yards. Miles Coleman added three receptions for 14 yards, Morgan McPhaul had one catch for six yards, and Kolb finished with two receptions for four yards and a touchdown. Ayo Adeyi carried five times for 24 yards and caught one pass for five yards, while Tre Page III added two carries for six yards. Keltner made four field goals, including kicks from 20, 24, 44 and 31 yards.

Oregon’s offense showed flashes but could not match the Cowboys down the stretch. Moore completed 14 of 29 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns. Stewart was his top target with four receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown. Dakorien Moore caught three passes for 45 yards and a score. Messiah Hampton added three receptions for 31 yards, Jeremiah McClellan had one catch for 20 yards, and Andrew Olesh had one reception for nine yards. Dierre Hill Jr. led the Ducks on the ground with 15 carries for 74 yards and also caught two passes for eight yards. Da’Jaun Riggs carried once for two yards, and Davison scored on a 1-yard run. Hurych made a 42-yard field goal and converted all four of Oregon’s extra-point attempts. Bailey Ettridge punted five times for 263 yards.

Oregon’s defense made several impact plays. Devon Jackson led the way with seven tackles, one interception and a 96-yard touchdown return. Jerry Mixon recorded nine tackles. Aaron Flowers, Brandon Finney Jr. and Carl Williams IV each had five tackles. Teitum Tuioti, Peyton Woodyard, Bear Alexander, Dylan Williams and Koi Perich each finished with four tackles. Matayo Uiagalelei contributed a tackle, a quarterback hurry and an interception. Elijah Rushing and D’Antre Robinson each added a tackle and a quarterback hurry. A’Mauri Washington, Na’eem Offord, Gavin Nix and Anthony Jones Jr. each had three tackles. Matthew Johnson and Ify Obidegwu had two tackles apiece. Nasir Wyatt, Will Straton and Davon Benjamin each recorded one tackle.

Oklahoma State’s defense did enough to close out the win. Ethan Wesloski had nine tackles and half a sack. Tate Romney and Quinton Hammonds each recorded seven tackles. Isaiah Chisom added six tackles, half a sack and a quarterback hurry. James Williams had one tackle. The Cowboys limited Oregon’s rushing attack for much of the second half and forced the Ducks to settle for long possessions. Oregon finished with 31 points but managed only seven in the fourth quarter, while Oklahoma State produced the final nine points.

The win gave Oklahoma State a measure of momentum after a season-opening loss at Tulsa. The Cowboys next host Murray State on Saturday, Sept. 19, before opening conference play at West Virginia on Sept. 26. Oregon, which opened the season with a home win over Boise State, will host Portland State on Friday, Sept. 18, before traveling to Southern California on Sept. 26. The Ducks will look to correct a late-game defensive lapse after allowing the Cowboys to convert key plays in the final quarter.

Pregame projections varied widely. Interstat’s game simulator projected Oklahoma State 31, Oregon 29. Interstat’s ELO system gave Oregon a 98.7 percent probability to win. Oklahoma State had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -23.5 points. The total score of 70 went under the over/under line of 54.5.